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To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for what reasons
there has been a change to permitted levels of gaseous tritium discharges at former
Magnox Nuclear Stations as a result of the operation of the waste encapsulation plants.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she
will ensure that any forthcoming environmental legislation (a) sets out legally binding
targets for environmental protection, the progress of which must be reported on annually
by Government, (b) incorporates a non-regression principle to prevent backward steps
in the adoption and implementation of environmental laws and (c) establishes an independent
and adequately resourced environmental watchdog.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment
she has made of the potential merits of obligating all retailers to ensure that the
packaging of products sold can be recycled locally before stocking those products.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the national
online platform to enable the public to check vehicle compliance with Clean Air Zone
emissions standards is scheduled to be fully functioning and available to the public;
and for what reasons delivery of this platform by the Government has been delayed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will
publish correspondence between her Department and businesses on the Animal Welfare
(Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 guidance on
the size of snake enclosures; and what estimate she has made of the costs to businesses
of increasing the size of snake enclosures.

<p>The draft statutory guidance relating to pet sales that accompanies <em>The Animal
Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018</em>
(the 2018 Regulations) contained two minimum accommodation size lengths for snakes
in pet selling establishments. One was two thirds snake length and related to the
minimum length of the enclosure in order to comply with the 2018 Regulations; and
the other was 1x snake length which was the minimum length needed to attain the optional
higher welfare standard.</p><p> </p><p>During consultation on the draft guidance a
group of specialist exotic animal veterinary and keeping professionals advised that
there was no welfare basis for the higher welfare standard. We therefore withdrew
the higher minimum welfare standard for snake accommodation sizes from the final published
guidance. However, the minimum welfare size needed to comply with the 2018 Regulations
remains at two thirds snake length. We have not made an estimate of the costs to businesses
if they were required to increase the size of their snake enclosures.</p><p> </p>

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for what reasons
the minimum size of enclosures for snakes was changed from the requirement stated
in the draft Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England)
Regulations 2018 guidance.

<p>The draft statutory guidance relating to pet sales that accompanies <em>The Animal
Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018</em>
(the 2018 Regulations) contained two minimum accommodation size lengths for snakes
in pet selling establishments. One was two thirds snake length and related to the
minimum length of the enclosure in order to comply with the 2018 Regulations; and
the other was 1x snake length which was the minimum length needed to attain the optional
higher welfare standard.</p><p> </p><p>During consultation on the draft guidance a
group of specialist exotic animal veterinary and keeping professionals advised that
there was no welfare basis for the higher welfare standard. We therefore withdrew
the higher minimum welfare standard for snake accommodation sizes from the final published
guidance. However, the minimum welfare size needed to comply with the 2018 Regulations
remains at two thirds snake length. We have not made an estimate of the costs to businesses
if they were required to increase the size of their snake enclosures.</p><p> </p>

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans
her Department has in place to assist water companies with supplies of purification
chemicals in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps
her Department is taking to (a) protect red squirrels in Northumberland and (b) tackle
the damaging effect of the invasive grey squirrel species.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment
he has made of the potential merits of further restricting the keeping of primates
as pets beyond that set out in section 4 and section 9 the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

<p>There is no doubt that primates are complex creatures requiring specialist care.
I recently met with the owner of a leading specialist primate rescue centre who informed
me about the rising numbers they are having to take from private care. Given these
issues I am looking at the options for banning the trade altogether.</p><p>In the
meantime, we have strict laws in place restricting the keeping of primates and action
can be taken if a primate is being kept in poor welfare conditions. Under the Animal
Welfare Act 2006, it is an offence to cause any unnecessary suffering to an animal
or to fail to provide for its welfare.</p><p>The 2006 Act is backed up by the statutory
Code of Practice for the Welfare of Privately Kept Non-human Primates that provides
essential information for any primate keeper on how to meet the welfare needs of the
primates in their care. The Code is made under the 2006 Act and can be used as evidence
in court in support of a prosecution made under the 2006 Act.</p><p>If anyone has
any concerns about the way a primate is being kept they should report to the relevant
local authority, who have powers to investigate such issues, or to the RSPCA who can
also investigate and take action.</p><p>In addition to the animal welfare controls,
the keeping of most primates requires a licence under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act
1976 (DWAA), which is issued by a local authority. The DWAA licence is primarily to
ensure public safety is protected.</p><p>The trade of primates is regulated through
a Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) licensing system.
Under this system, the international, commercial trade of the most endangered primates
is prohibited, except under exceptional circumstances. Whilst it is not in itself
a welfare measure, CITES does contain welfare provisions for the transport, keeping
and moving of animals, including primates.</p>